That's because the county's planning department won't change the way it charges -- and sometimes overcharges -- residents for simple planning permits until sometime in December.

They're researching and finalizing new fees, and that takes time, Public Works Director Jess Carbajal told the county's board of supervisors today.

The county's current practice is called charging for Time and Materials, and it was one of the main problems called out in July in a scathing audit of the county's planning department, which described customer service as “mediocre at best.”

Still, two months later, the Watchdog talked to retired police officer Mark Rodina, who was charged more than $400 for a permit that would cost just under $50 in Fountain Valley under the time and materials system. (Rodina needed to update the aging electrical panel in his home so he could install solar panels. County officials have noted that many cities subsidize the cost of issuing permits.)

Nobody disputes that Rodina was overcharged. Still the system is slow to change.

Supervisor Pat Bates said she wishes the changes would happen more quickly, but that it's important to methodically go through the process of finding a solution that works.

"We want to make sure the system we come out with really does serve the public," Bates said.

In the meantime, the department says it's set up a customer service email address (ocpcustomercare@ocpw.ocgov.com) and phone line (714-834-2626) where people who have problems with their bills can turn. Carbajal says the phone line is averaging 65 to 70 calls each day. And he says they're looking into other ways to connect with customers, such as Twitter and text messaging.

The department also is working on immediate changes to its up front fees.(They've also made plenty of internal changes since the audit.)

And in a small victory for Rodina, the county refunded him $131.46 for what he calls some of the "junk fees" on his account.

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